Mom vanishes after car breaks down, AZ cops say. Weeks later, son says he saw her die

A 46-year-old mom has been missing for a month, and now her son is saying she died, Arizona officials said.

On May 22, Hope Tucker was with her adult son in Buckeye when their car broke down on a highway, according to a June 23 Facebook post by the Buckeye Police Department.

Tucker and her son, who police say has “limited communication”, left the car to find shade, officials said.

Later that day, troopers found the car abandoned on the highway and it was towed, police said.

Police had contact with Tucker’s son on May 24 after getting reports of indecent exposure, officials said. He was evaluated by firefighters and taken to a hospital, where he stayed for about a month.

A relative picked up the man from the hospital and asked where his mother was, KPNX reported. Then, the son told the relative about what happened on May 22, and the relative called Phoenix police. They relayed the information to Buckeye police, and a search began, the outlet reported.

While speaking with investigators, Tucker’s son said he saw her close her eyes and stop talking, Carissa Planalp, a Buckeye police spokesperson, told McClatchy News in an email.

Tucker’s son believes he saw his mom die, Planalp said.

Police said Tucker “may have suffered a life-threatening medical emergency” shortly after leaving the vehicle.

Buckeye officers tried pinging Tucker’s phone but haven’t been successful, officials said.

On June 24, drone operators searched a “desert area” with help from search dogs and Gila River officers, according to an Instagram post by officers.

Officers said they are paying “close attention to location cues” given by Tucker’s son during the search.

She is 6 feet, 1 inch tall, weighs 220 pounds and was last seen wearing a black shirt, white shorts and purple shoes, officials said.

Anyone with information is asked to call 911, police said.

Buckeye is about a 40-mile drive southwest of Phoenix.

This story was originally published June 24, 2024 at 5:30 PM with the headline "Mom vanishes after car breaks down, AZ cops say. Weeks later, son says he saw her die."